Clevis



W. 0. BERRY.

CLEVIS. APPLICATION FILED MAR.24, I919.

Patented Feb. 17,1920.

WILLIAM O. BERRY, 0F CARO, MICHIGAN.

CLEVIS.

Application filed March 24, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. BERRY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Caro, in the county of Tusoola and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clevises, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in looking clevises and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a clevis which will always be locked when in operative position.

Another object is to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive clevis from which the pin member cannot be withdrawn until the clevis has been swung around the end of the doubletree and is in an inoperative position.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion and minor details, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a common doubletree, showing my improved clevis in position.

Fig. 2 is also a plan view showing the clevis in inoperative position for unlocking.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the clevis constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the pin locln'ng member.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral lindicates the commonly used doubletree which is usually pivoted in the center to the draft pole of a vehicle and which is provided at either end thereof with suitable holes or opening 2, these holes are necessarily located near the back edge of the doubletree in order that the strength thereof may be retained.

The clevis member 3 is of the usual U- shaped formation with the arms 4 and 5 extending horizontally therefrom, each of the said arms being provided with an elongated slot 6, one end of which is enlarged and rounded to receive the locking pin member 8, which is cylindrical in form, and provided with a head to limit the downward move- Speeificatic-n of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Serial No. 284,809.

- ment thereof when being placed in position in the clevis, and is of sufficient length to extend through and beyond the arm members i and 5.

By reference to Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will be noted that this pin member 8 is flattened on parallel sides thereof as shown at 9 and 9 respectively and for a distance equal to the thickness of the said arm members, in order that the said pin may readily slide in the slot formed in the said arms, and it will be readily understood that the diameter of the pin member 8 is greater than the width of the slot 6, excepting where it is flattened to allow the said pin to slide therein, it will therefore be obvious that the shoulders formed by flattening the pin member in the places indicated will positively prevent the pin member from being -withdrawn until the clevis is swung around the end of the doubletree as shown by the numerous arrows in Fig. 2, and then forced to the position as shown in full lines, when the opening 7 will be in direct vertical alinement with the opening 2 in the doubletree.

When using the ordinary clevis, it 0fttimes happens that this pin member will gradually work up, due to rough roads or by becoming caught on some portion of the vehicle box, and withdraw from the opening in the lower leg of the clevis, when this occurs the strain is of course obliquely across the upper part of the clevis and the clevis will then either bend or break. With my improved construction it will be readily seen that this is impossible, inasmuch as it is necessary to swing the clevis around the end of the doubletree, and then force it forward until the enlarged end of the slot registers with the opening 2 in the doubletree, this cannot happen when the clevis is in operative position on any vehicle as the draft is always forward, and the clevis could not assume the positions necessary for unlocking without being manipulated by the operator.

From the foregoing description it will be obfious that I have perfected a simple and inexpensive locking clevis which is easy to manufacture and which will positively prevent the clevis from becoming disengaged or partly so when in operative position.

Claims:

1. A device of the character described including a whiflie tree having 'a bolt opening made therein nearer the rear than the front edge, a olevis adapted-toembraoe the whifiie tree and having key-hole slots there; in, and a bolt adapted to pass through the registering. enlarged portions of the keyholeslo'ts' 'andbolt opening'inthe whiifi tree and having reduced portions adapted t0- slidingly vreceive the restrieted portions of the key-hole slots,- the 'clevls' adapted to be slid on the bolt'to' bring itheenlarged "per-- tions-of the kv-hole slots therein into* reg-1 istry with the bolt opening whereby-the bolt may be "withdrawn only when the elevis is rotatedbn'thebolt out of the forward operative" position; the forward edge of the whi'file tree'adapted' to engage the elevis and i prevent sliding-"movement thereof'on-the'bolt sdffieient Y to bring the 1 enlarged portionsof" the key-hole slots into" registry with the' bolt opening when the olevis is in the-"for ward operatij e position.

2." ln 'oomblnation"witH a whifiletree haw inga verticallydisposed bolt opening situated remote =':Erom the forward edge of the whi'ifietre as compared with' the other-edges-r thereof; ole'vis'composed of yoke= arms-fitbelow the whiflle tree for engaging in the restriotedpdrtiris of the key-hole slots and V Whittle treebefore the enlarged rounded portions-ofthe key-holeslots aline with thebolt opening," said olevisbeing-rotatable on the bolt out Poi the forward-position to permit such slidingthereof on} the bolt as will bring the enlarged rounded portions ofthe key hole" slotsin-to registry with the vertically disposed-opening"- 3. A 'levis, a bolt passingthronghtheclevis and-through a portion of: the "whiflie tree by which the elevis is supp'orted' remote from the forward :edgerthereo'f, saidlelevis being-@rotatable on the bolt and slidable thereon-when -in--a rear position to permit-E withdrawaL-of the bolt, but the forward" edge; of the:-whiflie;tree preventingsuohslid able-movement ofthe-elevis aswill afi'eot re 60 lease ofithe bolt=- s V Intestimony whereo-fl aflix my -signaturev WILLIAMVO. BERRY; 

